1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to chairs and the like for seating or supporting a person, and more specifically to a chair for use by chiropractic professionals for facilitating manipulation of the vertebrae of a patient. The patient is seated in the present chair, and leg restraining means stabilize the lower extremities to preclude their lateral rotation when the upper body and spine are therapeutically rotated.
2. Description of Related Art
Chiropractic therapy has enjoyed ever increasing popularity as people have discovered its benefits. A common chiropractic procedure is the torsional manipulation of the sacral, lower lumbar, and thoracic regions of the spine, wherein the upper torso of the patient is twisted or turned to the left and right while the hips and lower body are held relatively stationary.
Traditional examination tables have not been designed for the specific stabilization of the lower body for manipulations of this type. For this reason, chiropractors are often taught to have their patients wrap their legs around the legs of the examination table in an effort to prevent movement of the lower extremities along with the torso. While this method is functional, it depends largely upon the patients ability to stabilize his or her own lower body, and does not help those patients who are not able to contort their bodies in such a way.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a chiropractic adjusting chair which includes means for stabilizing the hips and lower extremities of a patient seated therein, for precluding rotational motion thereof. This allows the upper body to be rotated or twisted relative to the lower body for therapy of the spine and associated muscles and structure, while the lower portion of the body of the patient is held relatively stationary by the present chair. A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,936 issued on Sep. 24, 1985 to David M. Gafken, titled "Chiropractor's Examination Chair," describes A generally H-shaped frame having a fixed circular chair at one juncture of the frame, and a second chair secured to the crossmember to swing in a horizontal arc about its attach point with the crossmember. No means of restraining lateral movement of the legs is provided by the Gafken chair, whereas the present chiropractic adjusting chair provides lateral retaining means for precluding lateral leg motion of a patient seated in the chair. Also, the present invention comprises only a single seating surface, with the chiropractor using a separate seat or chair or remaining up and mobile for manipulation of the patient as required.
U.S. Pat. No. D-286,822 issued on Nov. 25, 1986 to Peter Opsvik, titled "Combined Rocking Chair And Kneeler," illustrates a design for a kneeling type chair, in which a pair of knee or shin pads are positioned in front of a seating surface. The user sits upon the seating surface with the knees or shins resting upon the knee or shin pad portions of the chair. A pair of rockers extends forwardly from beneath the seating surface, with one of the knee pads disposed at the raised end of each rocker. No lateral restraining means is provided for the legs of a person using the Opsvik rocking kneeling chair, and the instability of the rocking chair is not suitable for use as a chiropractic chair.
U.S. Pat. No. D-291,155 issued on Aug. 4, 1987 to Roger Wertheimer, titled "Orthopedic Chair," illustrates a design for a kneeling type chair supported by casters beneath the frame. The knee or shin pads extend upwardly from two of the frame members, but no lateral restraint means is provided for the legs of a person using the Wertheimer chair, whereas the present chair provides such lateral restraint means for precluding movement of the lower body of a patient during chiropractic manipulation.
U.S. Pat. No. D-292,853 issued on Nov. 24, 1987 to Pewter Opsvik, titled "Chair," illustrates a design for a kneeling type chair supported on four fixed legs. The rear legs support a seating surface, while the front legs support a single lateral knee or shin support. The knee or shin support and seat are connected by a central brace. No lateral leg restraining means is provided by opsvik for his chair design.
U.S. Pat. No. D-294,545 issued on Mar. 8, 1988 to Peter Opsvik, titled "Seat Cushion And Support Unit For A Combined Seat And Kneeler," illustrates a design for a castered unit apparently having a connector extending forwardly from the frame thereof. Only the seating portion is illustrated; no knee or shin supports or pads are shown, much less any lateral restraint means for the legs of a person seated or braced thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. D-295,119 issued on Apr. 12, 1988 to Svein A. Gusrud, titled "Chair," illustrates a design having a seating surface and knee support surface. The remarks of the Gusrud disclosure state that the chair has a "lower supporting member to engage the shins of the user", but no lateral restraining means for the legs of a person using the Gusrud chair, is apparent.
U.S. Pat. No. D-299,594 issued on Jan. 31, 1989 to Beverly J. Richardson, titled "Therapeutic Posture Chair," illustrates a design for a kneeling type chair having two separate shin supports. While the shin supports have slightly concave surfaces for greater comfort, they do not include any means for precluding lateral movement of the upper or lower legs or shins when the upper body is turned or twisted, whereas the present chiropractic adjusting chair includes such leg braces or stops for the legs of a person seated in the present chair.
U.S. Pat. No. D-348,568 issued on Jul. 12, 1994 to Sylvain Landry, titled "Chair," illustrates a design for a kneeling type chair having a single lateral shin or knee support, similar to the chair disclosed in the Opsvik '853 U.S. Design Patent discussed further above. While the Landry chair appears to provide some adjustment of various components thereof, no lateral restraining means for the legs is provided by Landry for his chair.
German Patent Publication No. 2,728,062 published on Jan. 11, 1979 describes (according to the English abstract) a chair with an adjustable footrest. The schematic nature of the drawings do not indicate any form of lateral retaining means for the legs of a person seated on the chair.
Finally, European Patent Publication No. 17,450 published on Oct. 15, 1980, titled "A Sitting Device," describes a kneeling type chair having rockers, somewhat similar to the chair disclosed in the '286 U.S. Design Patent to Opsvik, who is one of the co-inventors shown in the '450 European Patent Publication. As in the '286 U.S. Design Patent, no lateral leg retaining means is provided in the '450 European Patent Publication, whereas such leg retaining means is a part of the present chiropractic adjustment chair invention.
None of the above inventions and patents, either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.